


Introduction to Polyamory

by misslenabrooke



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Multi, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Kissing, Polyamory, abed sometimes uses characters to express his feelings clearly, also troy/britta was so forced so it doesn't exist to me, it's not mentioned but troy and annie are also trans, troy is gay and annie & abed are bi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25096708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misslenabrooke/pseuds/misslenabrooke
Summary: It's happened in every teen drama ever; the overused love triangle trope.That doesn't mean it has to end the same way it usually does.
Relationships: Troy Barnes & Annie Edison, Troy Barnes/Annie Edison/Abed Nadir
Comments: 1
Kudos: 61





	Introduction to Polyamory

**Author's Note:**

> I usually make it a personal rule not to write fics before I finish a show, but dammit these idiots tempted me too much. I'm still on season 4 so I might not have the characters down well, sorry! It's also hard writing Abed when you're not well versed in pop culture beyond cartoons lol
> 
> Anyways I love these three dorks and you should too.

"It's really awkward with just us in the apartment, isn't it?" Troy asked out of nowhere. 

Abed wouldn't be gone too long, maybe an hour or so, but the wait felt much longer. Nothing against Annie, they just never spent much time together without any of their friends there as well.

Troy and Annie were laying on the floor in awkward silence, the latter kicking her feet up in the air. "Not usually, but today you're kind of out of it. Is there something on your mind?"

"You know, you've been pretty spacey a lot lately, Annie."

Worried that somehow she got caught in the act of who knows what, Annie gasped, blushing ever so slightly. "No, I'm not! Everything's fine!"

Troy knew by now that this was Annie's way of avoiding a serious conversation. Old habits die hard, it seems, because she looked pouty nearly every time she did this. "You know that we can all tell when you're hiding something. I'm not gonna judge. Unless you killed a guy, then I'll be scared. I don't know how to hide a body!"

Annie scoffed. "I didn't kill anyone. You jump to the murder conclusion a bit too much."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Good. You can tell me what's up then."

"Well, I wouldn't want to upset you or Abed." She muttered.

"Huh? Please don't say you stepped on another DVD."

Annie sighed, just wanting to get the conversation over with. "I didn't do anything bad! I'm just worried I might ruin things between you two."

Troy gave her an awkward yet reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We love having you here. It's less lonely."

"It's not that," She sat up, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them. "I've… had some new feelings about Abed lately. But I don't want to ruin your relationship, I really don't!"

Making the girl nervous with every passing second, Troy was speechless for a minute or two. "But you're dating him."

Oh shit. Annie had this all wrong. "Troy.. "

"You're not?" Troy never looked so confused in the time the two had known each other.

She took a deep breath. "Okay, clearly we're both reading this situation differently. I thought _you_ were dating Abed."

"Wait," Troy said, still not over the initial shock. "What made you think that?"

Annie threw her arms up in slight annoyance. "What wouldn't make me think that? You two are attached at the hip! You call each other your other half! It'd be easier to list the things that imply otherwise."

"Annie, I'm flattered that you think Abed could ever see me that way. I really am. But have you not noticed how much differently he's treated you since you moved in? You've also spent a lot of time together in the Dreamatorium."

She blushed again, puffing out her cheeks. "That doesn't mean anything. I'm still trying to get used to how it works. And it's not as fun alone."

He nodded in agreement. "That's fair, I guess. Abed makes it so much better." Annie noticed that he began blushing as well.

"Troy," She looked him in the eye. "Are you jealous of me and Abed? You can be honest with me."

Troy sighed deeply, already ashamed of himself. "Okay, so I am. Sue me."

Annie sat up. "I'm not mad. Come here, Troy," She extended her arms out for a hug, which Troy eagerly accepted. "We're friends. I refuse to let something like this get in the way of that. Let's just talk about it to get a better understanding of the situation, okay?"

He responded only with a sniffle, causing Annie to pull back for a second.

"Why are you crying? I'm not mad at you." She said in the most soothing voice she could muster.

"I'm not just jealous, Annie. I'm _jealous_." Sure enough, a single tear had rolled down Troy's cheek.

It took a second for Annie to understand what he meant. "Ohhhh. You really do love Abed, don't you?"

He nodded. "I've never told anyone, but I'm gay. I'm afraid of looking less like a man for it. It's just… I don't see other gay men as less masculine, but I'm worried I'm the exception. And I don't want Abed to feel weirded out knowing that I like guys."

She put her hands on Troy's shoulders. "I can assure you, he wouldn't think any differently of you. I know I don't. To me you're Troy, my amazing friend Troy. And you know what? I'm actually bisexual, myself."

"You are?" His reply came out as a feeble whisper.

"I realized it when I was in rehab. It just hasn't been too big a deal for me to mention."

Troy smiled a little. "That's a relief. It helps to know you get it, like I'm not alone."

Annie grinned back. "Of course you're not alone, Troy. I'm here for you. Do you want to talk about this whole awkward thing?"

"Might as well, right? It's all out in the open. But first, I have to know. What happened with Jeff? I thought that would never end."

She sighed. "It's impossible to get past the age thing. I know Jeff's just as weirded out as I am. That, and since high school I've had a history of liking older guys and the occasional older women to fill the void my parents left me."

Troy wrapped an arm around Annie, as if protecting her from something. "It's not like that with Abed, right? I mean, he's not that much older than us, but still."

"Oh no, it's not like that with Abed. Actually the opposite. He never makes me feel less mature because of my age, I'm an equal. I guess that's one of the things that got me catching feelings. And do you remember the paintball assassin game where he did the Han Solo bit?"

He nodded. "Abed becomes a million times hotter during paintball. But what about that game, though?"

Annie giggled as her face became redder. "I guess Abed decided I was his Princess Leia or something. He got caught up in the role and when the sprinklers activated, well… he kissed me until they stopped. It was kind of the hottest thing that's ever happened to me. And then I realized I overlooked Abed this whole time."

Troy was in awe. "Holy shit. We kissed a few times because we were reenacting some scenes of Kickpuncher and his girlfriend, and each time I could swear I was in paradise."

Annie giggled again. "Troy!"

"Hm?"

She playfully shoved him. "If you ask me, it sounds like he just used that as an excuse to kiss you! More than once, at that! See? This is why I thought you were dating Abed! He's definitely into you."

Troy awkwardly laughed back. "When you put it that way, it sure does sound like it. But I'd want you to be with him, because I'm happy if you two are."

Annie gave him a light kiss on the cheek. This was a habit she had taken up with both Troy & Abed lately. "You're the sweetest, Troy. Let's agree that if Abed likes one of us, we'll just be happy for each other no matter what, okay?"

"Agreed."

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Apparently, Abed decided to make a quiet yet dramatic entrance (for the fourth time this week). Neither Troy or Annie knew he was there before he spoke. The two in question flinched in response.

"Abed!" Annie said. "How long were you standing there?"

"I just walked in a few seconds ago."

Troy looked at Annie for reassurance. "How much of that did you hear?

Abed sat on the floor in between his roommates. "Not much, but I heard enough. I was actually talking to Jeff and Britta about the same thing. They were the only options since I didn't know how to confront the two of you," He sighed. "Their love lives are total disasters. But they did help a bit this time."

"What are you saying?" Troy asked, clinging to Annie.

"Classic played out teen drama trope, two friends like the same person. But nine times out of ten, that person only chooses one of them. I don't want this to be one of those nine times."

Annie took a deep breath, heart now racing. "Abed… do you mind getting Batman to explain this? This is kind of nerve-racking."

He nodded, going to find his costume. Abed came back in full Batman costume within seconds, voice and everything. "What do you want me to explain, Annie?"

"Well, everything. A-About all this."

Batman Abed went into deep thought for a few seconds. "You didn't think Abed knew the both of you are attracted to him."

Troy & Annie nodded, nervously holding hands.

"He's always observing. Abed's had quite a lot of people trying to flirt with him. The signs become obvious after a while, but he has difficulty returning the gestures. The thought of asking either of you out directly gave him anxiety, so he asked Jeff and Britta for advice. Mainly because they were the only choices, considering Shirley and Pierce's potential reactions. They said maybe Abed didn't have to choose, and he realized he didn't want to. Abed is in love with you both."

The other two were now looking at him with the most lovestruck expressions on their faces. 

It was only a matter of seconds before Troy held Batman Abed's face in his hands and kissed him. Much to the former's dismay, this was cut off. 

"Wait a second, Troy. Batman doesn't want this. Abed does." Once again, he temporarily left the room for an outfit change.

How Abed did such quick costume changes was a mystery. But that mystery became irrelevant as soon as he walked back in, because Troy and Annie practically tackled him into a group hug.

Abed thinks he might just be the luckiest man in Greendale.


End file.
